End-opening carrier for pneumatic tube system

ABSTRACT

An end-opening carrier for a pneumatic tube system having an open-ended tubular body with air sealing means at the closed end; a buffer ring adjacent the open end; and a closure formed of a tubular ring having an inwardly extending closure tab, a closure plug for positioning in the open end, the closure plug having a hinge tab located between the outer wall of the body and the tubular ring, and hook-and-loop fastening means to detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug.

United States Patent Kelley 1 Feb. 15,1972

[54] END-OPENING CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEM [72] Inventor: Donald G. Kelley, Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: C. K. Kelley It Sons, Inc., Houston, Tex.

[22] Filed: June I, 1970 [211 Appl. No.: 41,856

[52] 3.5. CI ..243/35 [5!] lnt.Cl ..B6Sg 51/06 [58) Field ol Search ..243/35, 34; 220/35 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,96l,l87 ll/l960 l,679.223 7/l928 3 l25,277 3/l964 l,976,995 10/1934 Wood et al. ..243/35 .......243/35 :1 ..229/45 x Jennings et al. ..243/35 791,077 5/1905 Coleman ..243/35 3,334,843 8/l967 Todt ...243/35 3,331,569 7/1967 Kelley... 243/35 l,83l,252 11/1931 Libby........ ..243/35 3,437,l99 4/l969 Jacobson .220/35 1 Primary EmminerRichard E. Aegerter Assistant Examiner-Hamid S. Lane ArtarneyMichael P. Breston {57] ABSTRACT An end-opening carrier for a pneumatic tube system having an open-ended tubular body with air sealing means at the closed end; a bufi'er ring adjacent the open end; and a closure formed of a tubular ring having an inwardly extending closure tab, a closure plug for positioning in the open end, the closure plug having a hinge tab located between the outer wall of the body and the tubular ring, and hook-and-loop fastening means to detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug.

13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures END-OPENING CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved end-opening carrier for a pneumatic tube system and, more particularly, to improved closure means therefor.

Description of the Prior Art Pneumatic tube systems have been used for many years to rapidly convey material from one location to another. Carriers are used to contain the material being conveyed. A common type is the end-opening carrier, which is formed of a tubular body having air-sealing means at one end and a closeable opening at the other end. The closure means is usually made from a band ofleather which is formed into a cylindrical shape to fit the end of the tubular body. It is on this leather surface which the back end of the carrier usually rides.

The leather is provided with two tabs which form hinge members. To one tab there is attached a rubber closure plug which is adapted to be positioned into the end of the body. The other tab forms a detachable closure which overlies the closure plug in the closed position. To detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug, a post is attached to the closure plug and the closure tab is provided with a fastener which is adapted to engage with the post.

One frequent problem with an end-opening carrier is that as it makes its tortuous trip through the tubing system, the end of the leather becomes cut and worn by the edges of joints and other sharp projections in the tubing string. As a result, the hinge tabs, which slightly bulge, wear out rapidly thereby necessitating frequent replacement of the end leather. Also, the post fastener is often very difficult to operate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved end-opening, pneumatic tube system carrier having means to protect the closure means from riding against the inside wall of the tubing. It is another object to provide an improved closure means for an end-opening carrier.

The improved carrier has a buffer ring positioned around the open end of the body adjacent the closure means. The closure is formed of a tubular ring having an inwardly extending closure tab, and a separate, hinged-closure plug adapted to fit into the open end of the body. The closure tab is detachably secured to the closure plug by a mating, hook-and-loop fastener.

The buffer ring is thicker than the tubular ring and prevents the closure means from riding against the inside wall of the pneumatic tubing, thereby preventing undue wear of the closure means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a diagrammatic view showing a carrier of the present invention in a string of pneumatic tubing;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the closure means and buffer ring of the carrier shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a carrier having an alternative closure means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In describing the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that it be limited to the specific terms so selected. and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

Turning now to the specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an improved, end-opening, pneumatic tube system carrier 6 in a length of straight pneumatic tubing 7. As can be seen, the rear end of the carrier is not in contact with the inside wall of the tubing; therefore, as the carrier passes joint 8, the closure of the carrier is protected from undue wear. FIG. I also illustrates the carrier navigating a bend 9, shown in dashed line.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, carrier 6 has a body I0 which is formed from a length of plastic tubing. While the tubing shown is cylindrical, other shapes may be used as is wet. known in the art. A circular disc II has a stepped portion I2 which is positioned in and permanently attached to one end of the tubing forming a body having a closed end I3 and an open end I5. An annular, strengthening ring 14 may be positioned around closed end [3 and permanently bonded to the end of the tubing and the protruding edge of disc II. If desired, disc I] and ring I4 may be a unitary structure. Such construction strengthens the tubing allowing a lighter gauge of tubing to be used. If desired, a molded plastic body having a permanently closed end may be utilized as is well known in the art.

Attached to the closed end of body I0 is customary air-sealing means I6, formed of a circular, air-sealing washer [8 which is adapted to form a seal with the inside wall of the string of pneumatic tubing and a slightly smaller annular felt head 20 having a central recess 24. To attach the air-sealing means to the body, a circular metal plate 26 is positioned in recess 24, and threaded fastening means 30-30 extend through mating apertures 32 in the plate, felt head, air washer, and disc so as to engage with threaded apertures in nut plate 33 located adjacent the disc thereby securely attaching the air-sealing means to the body. If tubing is used for the body, the air-sealing means may be attached to the disc and to the strengthening ring to form a subassembly. The subassembly is attached to the tubing by cementing the end of the tubing to the subassembly.

To maintain articles being conveyed by the pneumatic tube system within the carrier, the open end I5 of body 10 is provided with a closure means 34. As previously mentioned, one frequent cause of failure in prior art carriers has been that the hinge portion of the closure means becomes cut during the traverse of the carrier through the pneumatic tube system. To protect closure means 34 from such cutting action, the present carrier is provided with a buffer ring 35 which provides a riding surface for the rear portion of the carrier, see FIGS. 1 and 2.

The closure means is formed of a molded plastic tubular ring 36, which encircles the end of body 10, and of a closure plug 38, which is adapted to be positioned in open end 15, see FIGS. 2 and 3. Tubular ring 36 has an inwardly extending closure tab 40 which overlies the closure plug in the closed position. Diametrically opposed to the closure tab is an inwardly extending key 42. Closure plug 38 has an outwardly extending hinge tab 44 which is provided with a slot 46. Hence, tab 44 is positioned between the outer wall of the body and the inner wall of the tubular ring with the key engaged in the slot. Secure attachment is obtained by cementing the tubular ring and the hinge tab to the body.

The buffer ring is located adjacent to the tubular ring and. as can be seen, is considerably thicker than the tubular ring. Accordingly, as the carrier traverses through the tubing system, the rear end of the carrier tends to ride on the buffer ring preventing the end of the closure means from becoming cut by any sharp edges at joints in the tubing. So that the buffer ring will not be caught by a sharp projection, it is provided with an inclined surface, thereby enabling it to ride over projections in the tubing. Such construction prevents sharp shocks to the tubular closure ring. Accordingly, the buffer serves two functions, one it prevents the end of the closure means from contacting the wall of the tubing thereby protecting it from undue wear, and two it prevents dislodgement of the closure means should an impediment strike the rear end of the carrier.

To detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug, hook-and-loop fastening means 48, of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,717,437 and 3,009,235, and which are commercially available under the trademark Velcro, may be utilized. Such fastening means are formed of two cooperating sheet materials which interlock to bind the sheet materials securely together when pressed together face-to-face. One of the sheet materials has a large number of hooks of flexible resilient material projecting therefrom and the other of the sheet materials has a large number of loops of flexible resilient material projecting therefrom. One portion of the fastening means is cemented to the underside of the closure tab, and the other portion is cemented to the top of the closure plug. lt has been found that such fastening means securely retains the closure tab in position and maintains the closure means closed even with a substantial load in the carrier. Such fastening means is much easier to operate than the post fasteners which were previously in common use with pneumatic tube system carriers. All that is necessary to detach the closure tab from engagement with the closure plug is to peel back the closure tab which automatically separates the fastening means. To reengage the fastening means, it is only necessary to press the closure tab against the closure plug which automatically engages the fastening means. lf desired, the closure plug may be provided with a well approximately the same depth as the height of one of the sheets of cooperating interlocking materials. A patch of one of the interlocking materials is then located in the well and attached to the bottom thereof. With such construction the closure tab will lie against the closure plug and the fastening means will not be visible.

If the carrier is to be used solely for the transmission of paper, closure plug 38 may be omitted. In such case. there will be a tubular ring 50 having an inwardly extending tab 52 which may be slightly thicker than tab 40, see FIG. 4. If desired, tab 52 may have a slight taper and an inward bow thereby providing a tendency for the tab 52 to remain below the top of ring 50. With such construction. the paper to be transmitted may be rolled to the approximate size of the inside of the carrier and then pushed into the body. The rolled paper will push tab 52 down, but once the rolled paper is fully inside, the tab will return to its normal position.

As can be seen from the foregoing, a novel, end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier has been provided. The novel two piece closure means is protected against undue wear and accidental disengagement by the buffering. The hook and loop fastener provides a facile means for detachably securing the closure tab to the closure plug.

it is to be understood that the forms of the invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments. Various changes may be made in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. in an end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier formed of a tubular body having an air-sealing means at one end, a closure for the other end comprising:

a tubular ring positioned about the other end of the body and having an inwardly extending closure tab;

a closure plug adapted to fit into the end of the body and having an initially outwardly extending hinge tab which is bent and positioned between the outer wall of the body and the tubular ring, the closure tab extending over the closure plug in the closed position.

2. The closure for an end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 1 including:

the tubular ring having an inwardly projecting aligning key diametrically opposed to the closure tab, and

the hinge tab having a slot in which the aligning key is engaged.

3. The closure specified in claim 1 including means to detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug.

4. The closure specified in claim 3 wherein the means to detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug is hookand-loop fastening means.

5. The end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 1 including:

a bufi'er ring positioned about the tube adjacent the tubular ring, said buffer ring extending radially outwardly past the tubular ring whereby when the carrier is in the pneumatic tube system the closure end of the carrier rides on the buffer ring substantially preventing wear of the tubular ring.

6. In an end opening pneumatic tube system carrier formed ofa body having an air-sealing means at one end and a closure at the other end formed ofa hinged-closure plug adapted to fit into the end of the body and a hinged-tab member extending over the closure plug in the closed position and means to detachably secure the tab to the closure plug, the improve ment which comprises a buffer ring encircling the body adjacent the closure and projecting radially outwardly past the hinge connection whereby when the carrier is in the pneumatic tube system the closure end of the carrier rides on the buffer ring substantially preventing wear of the hinges.

7. The pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 6 wherein the buffer ring has an inclined portion tapering inwardly toward the air-sealing end,

8v The pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 6 wherein the means detachably securing the tab to the closure plug is formed of a hook-and-loop fastening means, one portion being attached to the closure plug and the other to the opposing surface of the tab.

9. A message carrier for a ing:

a tubular body having one closed end,

air-sealing means attached to the closed end of the body,

and

a molded tubular ring positioned about the other end of the body and having an integral inwardly extending closure tab, the closure tab initially being bowed downwardly and being resilient to allow the insertion of a rolled sheet of paper into the body.

[0. The message carrier specified in claim 9 including a buffer ring positioned about the body adjacent the tubular ring, said buffer ring extending outwardly past the tubular ring whereby when the carrier is in the pneumatic tube system the open end of the carrier rides on the buffer ring substantially preventing wear of the tubular ring.

11. In an end-opening, pneumatic tube system carrier having a tubular body provided with a closure means formed of a cylindrical sleeve having a hinged closure plug adapted to fit into the end of the tubular body and a hinged closure tab adapted to overlie the closure plug in the closed position, the improvement which comprises: the underside of the closure tab and the top of the closure plug being provided with patches of two cooperating sheet materials which interlock to securely attach the closure tab to the closure plug when pressed together face-to-face, one of said sheet materials having a large number of hooks of resilient material projecting therefrom, and the other of said sheet materials having a large number of loops of flexible resilient material projecting therefrom, said hooks being operable to hook into said loops when said materials are pressed together face-to-face and thereby cause the closure to be securely attached to the closure plug yet to be easily detached by pulling up the end of the closure tab.

12. A carrier for a pneumatic tube system comprising:

a length of cylindrical tubing,

a stepped-annular disc positioned in and attached to a first end of the tubing,

a strengthening ring positioned around and attached to said first end of the tubing and annular disc,

air-sealing means secured to the first end of the tubing,

a buffer ring positioned about the second end of the tubing some distance from the end thereof,

pneumatic tube system comprisa closure for said second end formed of a cylindrical, tubuthe tubing with the slot engaged by the inwardly projectlar ring positioned about the second end adjacent the ing aligning tab, the closure tab overlying the circular clobuffer ring. said tubular ring having an inwardly extend' Sure p g i the Closed Position and a ten g m n t ing closure tab and a diametrically opposing, inwardly demchabl) Secure the closure tab to closure P "B- j ti li i k 13. The carrier specified in claim I2 wherein the fastening a cir ular glosure lug d t d t fi i id h Second d means is formed of patches of two cooperating sheet materials d h i an outwardly extending hinge tab provided which interlock, one patch secured to the underside of the clowith a slot the outwardly extending tab adapted to be sure tab and the P secured to the plugpositioned between the tubular ring and the outer wall of 0 

1. In an end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier formed of a tubular body having an air-sealing means at one end, a closure for the other end comprising: a tubular ring positioned about the other end of the body and having an inwardly extending closure tab; a closure plug adapted to fit into the end of the body and having an initially outwardly extending hinge tab which is bent and positioned between the outer wall of the body and the tubular ring, the closure tab extending over the closure plug in the closed position.
 2. The closure for an end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 1 including: the tubular ring having an inwardly projecting aligning key diametrically opposed to the closure tab, and the hinge tab having a slot in which the aligning key is engaged.
 3. The closure specified in claim 1 including means to detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug.
 4. The closure specified in claim 3 wherein the means to detachably secure the closure tab to the closure plug is hook-and-loop fastening means.
 5. The end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 1 including: a buffer ring positioned about the tube adjacent the tubular ring, said buffer ring extending radially outwardly past the tubular ring whereby when the carrier is in the pneumatic tube system the closure end of the carrier rides on the buffer ring substantially preventing wear of the tubular ring.
 6. In an end-opening pneumatic tube system carrier formed of a body having an air-sealing means at one end and a closure at the other end formed of a hinged-closure plug adapted to fit into the end of the body and a hinged-tab member extending over the closure plug in the closed position and means to detachably secure the tab to the closure plug, the improvement which comprises a buffer ring encircling the body adjacent the closure and projecting radially outwardly past the hinge connection whereby when the carrier is in the pneumatic tube system the closure end of the carrier rides on the buffer ring substantially preventing wear of the hinges.
 7. The pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 6 wherein the buffer ring has an inclined portion tapering inwardly toward the air-sealing end,
 8. The pneumatic tube system carrier specified in claim 6 wherein the means detachably securing the tab to the closure plug is formed of a hook-and-loop fastening means, one portion being attached to the closure plug and the other to the opposing surface of the tab.
 9. A message carrier for a pneumatic tube system comprising: a tubular body having one closed end, air-sealing means attached to the closed end of the body, and a molded tubular ring positioned about the other end of the body and having an integral inwardly extending closure tab, the closure tab initially being bowed downwardly and being resilient to allow the insertion of a rolled sheet of paper into the body.
 10. The message carrier specified in claim 9 including a buffer ring positioned about the body adjacent the tubular ring, said buffer ring extending outwardly past the tubular ring whereby when the carrier is in the pneumatic tube system the open end of the carrier rides on the buffer ring substantially preventing wear of the tubular ring.
 11. In an end-opening, pneumatic tube system carrier having a tubular body provided with a closure means formed of a cylindrical sleeve having a hinged closure plug adapted to fit into the end of the tubular body and a hinged closure tab adapted to overlie the closure plug in the closed position, the improvement which comprises: the underside of the closure tab and the top of the closure plug being provided with patches of two cooperating sheet materials which interlock to securely attach the closure tab to the closure plug when pressed together face-to-face, one of said sheet materials having a large number of hooks of resilient material projecting therefrom, and the other of said sheet materials having a large number of loops of flexible resilient material projecting therefrom, said hooks being operable to hook into said loops when said materials are pressed together face-to-face and thereby cause the closure to be securely attached to the closure plug yet to be easily detached by pulling up the end of the closure tab.
 12. A carrier for a pneumatic tube system comprising: a length of cylindrical tubing, a stepped-annular disc positioned in and attached to a first end of the tubing, a strengthening ring positioned around and attached to said first end of the tubing and annular disc, air-sealing means secured to the first end of the tubing, a buffer ring positioned about the second end of the tubing some distance from the end thereof, a closure for said second end formed of a cylindrical, tubular ring positioned about the second end adjacent the buffer ring, said tubular ring having an inwardly extending closure tab and a diametrically opposing, inwardly projecting aligning key, a circular closure plug adapted to fit inside the second end and having an outwardly extending hinge tab provided with a slot, the outwardly extending tab adapted to be positioned between the tubular ring and the outer wall of the tubing with the slot engaged by the inwardly projecting aligning tab, the closure tab overlying the circular closure plug in the closed position, and fastening means to detachably secure the closure tab to closure plug.
 13. The carrier specified in claim 12 wherein the fastening means is formed of patches of two cooperating sheet materials which interlock, one patch secured to the underside of the closure tab and the other patch secured to the plug. 